British Anti-Tank Ammunition and Dates

[ClintHardware]

I was looking at the file AVIA 46/187 British Tank and Anti-Tank Guns and Ammunition, and found the following data which I have selected to quote here because they are of types of most interest in combat questions.

The data is of Complete Rounds that had past inspection and all were "Home" delieveries which I imagine is to UK depots for issue onwards to units. None of the numbers below were quoted in the Overseas columns relevant to types. The dates and types (if there were no other sources) seem to be the base line to include or exclude specific types from specific actions and time would have been taken in shipping to overseas theatres, if at all. Thousands of rounds were produced after these dates but I wanted to give you at least the first quantities in the first quarters issued.

Gun............Amn.........1st Prod Qnty...First Qtr Issued
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2-Pdr...........HE..........20,000 .........July-Sept 42
2-Pdr.......... APCBC......4,000...........Jan - Mar 43
2-Pdr.......... SV...........5,000...........Jan - Mar 43
6-Pdr..........APC.........92,000...........Jan - Mar 43
6-Pdr..........APCBC......24,000...........Apr - Jun 43
6-Pdr..........HE..........18,000............Oct - Dec 43
6-Pdr..........APDS.......37,000............Apr - Jun 44
17-Pdr........APDS.......11,000............July - Sept 44
95mm.........ATHC......38,000............Oct - Dec 44 (I assume this must be HEAT)

If you have a type you want me to quote please ask. If anyone knows any other dates of use from any other sources and wants to question the above please do.

The above seems to exclude APCBC from being present in any North Africa fighting, 95mm HEAT not present in Normandy, but seems to make possible 6-Pdr APDS in Normandy.

[ClintHardware]

Looking at AVIA 46/100, Brigadier Blagdon states that 2-Pdr APCBC did not arrive in time for combat in North Africa. In addition, he states that the 2-Pdr High Velocity was present from July 1942. I have seen the High Velocity round in test data in early 1942 with a MV stated as being 2800 fps and also 2850 fps.

[Don Juan]

Yeah, standard 2 pounder was 2600-2650 fps, and 2 pounder HV was 2800-2850 fps.

I think the 50 fps variation in the quoted MV is the difference between a new and a quarter-worn barrel, but I have yet to confirm this.

There was definitely no 2 pounder HE for the tank and anti-tank gun until well into 1943, so the figure given in that table might be for the 2 pounder Naval HE, which was not compatible with the cartridge of the tank and anti-tank gun. I think the cartridge was modified in early 1943 to take the Naval shell, but I'll have to check to confirm.

[Dili]

So the HV round was available in July 42 in Africa?